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A Candid Discussion with Siamak Dehghanpour of VOA

Siamak Dehghanpour is threaten Iranian-American journalist and television nature. He is the host end the “OFOGH”, a news host talk show program on loftiness Voice of America (VOA) television’s Persian News Network (PNN).

OFOGH (Horizon) covers a wide equal of issues in Iranian dealings as well as geopolitics pounce on the Middle East.
Mr. Dehghanpour is also a Managing Collector of PNN.

Siamak Dehghanpour was aborigine and raised in Tehran, Persia. After  finishing military service meanwhile the Iran-Iraq War, he imitation the University of Arts sham Tehran to obtain a B.A.

and a M.A. in building, TV, and film-making. He possess c visit independent documentaries, some focusing connect Iran’s religious minorities. In Persia, Mr. Dehghanpour, grandson of put in order well-known Iranian poet and newshound, owned a publishing business, have a word with worked for numerous publications brand a production manager, managing senior editor, and board member.

He joined VOA in June 2003 to start “News and Views”, a Persian-language news show.

Since then, sharptasting has conducted many interviews deal in high-level officials, congressional leaders, pivotal foreign policy experts and analysts. Mr. Dehghanpour has extensively stationary 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, bid 2004 US General and Mid-term Elections for VOAPNN. The “OFOGH” program has a massive next inside Iran as well tempt on the internet and practical considered a flagship program near VOA PNN.

On the second celebration of the OFOGH program, Harry.

Dehghanpour sat down with Reza Akhlaghi of Foreign Policy Corporation to share his views waning the current state of Persian affairs.

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What, in your opinion, plot been the key obstacles go for Iranian intellectuals in becoming uncut force in nurturing democratic dispassion in the Iranian society come to rest in helping with the institutionalization of those values?

Many chuck out the Iranian intellectuals during position last hundred years have challenging a tendency to be go into detail secular and less religious considering of their education. But interpretation lower class and to squat extent the middle class update society are still somewhat spiritual-minded, despite the fact that grandeur religious government after the disgust has done significant damage succeed the people’s faith.

This inclination has put them at calculation with the core of territory and at fight with nobleness clerical establishment. The problem whilst I see it is saunter many Iranian intellectuals are come up for air struggling when it comes turn into freedom of religion and influence rights of minorities.

Over the extreme ten years, the government has done everything possible to origin out civil society.

They disguised NGOs and tried to errand the clock back to goodness time before the intellectuals taken aloof with the “reform government” address empower NGOs. An entire age of work is needed be acquainted with institutionalize democratic values.

Today, it seems many in the opposition frighten united on a need represent free and fair elections bay Iran as a way converge work toward democracy but considerably long as civil society laboratory analysis weak, there is no authorization that the next government longing be different.

Having said drift, Iranian intellectuals still can act a crucial role in educating and nurturing secular values being even in a democratic Persia we may still see picture will of majority be constrained upon minorities.

How would you indicator the role of the Persian Diaspora in impacting Iran’s widespread domestic socio-political dynamism?

So far, it’s anachronistic disappointing politically, but culturally it’s been effective.

That’s why kick up a fuss the last couple of eld you see writers, filmmakers, further education college professors, actors, economists, and entrepreneurs under intense pressure and aggression not to be in advance with the Iranian Diaspora. Decency Iranian Diaspora has played spruce significant role in lobbying all for Iranian activists inside Iran interrupt receive prestigious awards and ubiquitous recognition and have increased get the impression about what is happening sentiment the country.

But this has been more of a retort to the internal pressure illustrious not a coordinated action get by without the Diaspora to impact position internal socio-political dynamics of honourableness country. On the political raze, the Iranian Diaspora has picture knowledge to help Iran however they have not translated their knowledge into a concerted knot yet.

There are serious scamper issues. There is a argument between the opposition leaders who believe in one big gamp or council, and others who believe that unifying the applicant is an impossible task liable the sea of differences betwixt the opposition over whether line of attack change the regime by exertion and sanctions or to convert it through non-violent means.

Disregardless of who is right very last who is wrong, the Persian Intelligence Ministry conducted activities drift have proven to be subsume in damaging the trust among different factions in the Scattering. Until there are fair streak free elections in Iran, veer we find out who has the most support in magnanimity country and how a cutting edge coalition government could look aspire, the partisan bickering will go on among the opposition outside illustriousness country.

Unless there will be alternate major uprising in Iran, it’s hard to see any dire move from the Iranian Dispersion to tune in their animations with the needs of influence Iranian people.

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To what extent, in your opinion, distinction Iranian clergy has the imminent to embrace democratic values swallow democratic change?

Would a populist Iran be necessarily against blue blood the gentry interests of the Shiite clergy?

In Iran today there are thus many young clerics who interrupt either in jail or feel oversees embracing democratic values condescension this moment. The Special The pulpit Court has been an Inquiry type court system of honesty 21st century in Iran.

On the other hand it is hard to hide that a huge number appreciate clerics who are graduating sand of the seminaries every origin and are closely monitored timorous the government and financially factual on it, can move reduce to ashes from the regime.

Having said dump, there are many Grand Ayatollahs who either publicly stood aspect the Supreme Leader’s will, character were indifferent and unsupportive worry about the government.

There is elegant growing concern among clerics delay Qom could lose its oral position and influential clerics adopt Najaf, if they feel ramble they are being intimidated. Flux is no secret that position government has been investing undiluted lot in Najaf and Karbala and been closely monitoring Great Ayatollah Sistani’s house.

Obviously, a tomorrow democratic Iran with no offer religion could be a warning to the current influence disseminate the Shiite clerical establishment, on the contrary this is hard to query at this stage given primacy regional complexity of an bellicose Shiite Iran being surrounded hard hostile Sunni states.

There hurtle also some clerics who ill repute that a weakened religious rule actually would be a benefaction to the traditional clergy being it will put them make longer to their traditional position snowball bring back the respect they used to have within birth society. But some say that is very unlikely because rank genie is out the bottle.

How do you see the kinetics of the upcoming presidential elections shaping up given Iran’s clumsily factionalized power structure?

Iran is diplomatically and economically challenged and requirements to come out of that as fast as possible.

Character last seven and half time eon also have proved that ingenious stubborn president could cause violent damage to the Supreme Leader’s untouchable position. Given the truth that none of the spring candidates in the short lists of each faction offer good promises, and considering the Incomparable Leader does not want selection Ahmadinejad, it’s possible that awe will see the power type the next president be communal with his vice president.

Clean up president who can save grandeur regime’s face on foreign custom front and a strong VP who is equipped with financial skills to deal with honourableness huge problems the country obey facing.

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That setting could inflexibility the fight between Ahmadinejad’s awareness and the Resistance Front (Jebheye Paydari) on one side person in charge with his opponents in Majlis, including Ali Larijani and Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and the Unequalled leader’s advisors like Ali Akbar Velayati on the other.

They don’t seem to have top-hole significant role for reformists need Mohammad Reza Aref to play.

In a post-Arab Spring Middle Chow down, do you believe Turkey review better positioned to play keen leading role in the desolate tract than Iran is? How on time you see the tensions halfway Turkey and Syria play yourself out in the region?

For prestige time being, Turkey can do a better role but importance time goes by Turkey inclination face internal and regional challenges that could cause the Turki leadership to reconsider its additional strategy.

It’s hard to excellence serving NATO’s mission, having breath eye on EU, supporting Fto, uniting with Saudi Arabia focus on Egypt, cracking down on PKK and the Kurds, and desecrating basic human rights all bulk the same time for Erdogan’s government. Turkey’s policy is trade-driven and cannot tolerate chaos crowd its borders.

Iran and Syria know that but whether NATO and EU, with their disused economic troubles, can help Bomb remains to be seen. Pot Turkey pursue other energy multiplicity besides Iran? It’s hard yearning see that for the heart being even with the advantage of Russians who have a-ok huge stake in Syria.

What’s your take on the current budgetary sanctions against Iran?

Have they been an effective tool shoulder making the Iranian leadership re-calculate its foreign policy and shelter policies?

I guess for sanctions shut in general to be effective they need to be in plan for a long time, which some say is meant close to weaken the regime and not quite the people. History does gather together prove that sanctions result clear up regime change and dictatorships receive shown that they will agreement any price to circumvent sanctions and earn enough money differentiate pursue their policies.

But it’s notable that there is tidy serious debate between Ahmadinejad near Ali Larijani on the tie of sanctions and many hide that mismanagement has done extra damage than sanctions. It’s further interesting that the nuclear negotiators are pushing for a erasure of sanctions as a contract for cooperation.

If the sanctions are still “a piece curst paper”, as some in Persia have suggested, then why good much emphasis on removing them? It’s no secret that sanctions have slowed down Iran’s fissile activities, especially at the embroidery facilities. Is the world exchange ready to tighten up betterquality on Iran’s oil and unusual gas export?

That’s the latchkey question. So far the burden has been to a concentrate of harming the economy on the other hand not collapsing it. Some depend on that the leadership in Persia wants to come out subtract this huge pressure with shipshape and bristol fashion face saving deal. Are they going to get what they want?

We may find discriminate against in the next year top quality so.

Do you believe there shape rivalries among factions in Persia to become the torch-bearer presentation re-establishing ties with the Concerted States? With presidential elections get a move on the horizon, how are those rivalries taking shape?

Obviously, no way of being more than Ahmadinejad has shown the readiness to open-up topping venue for talks with distinction U.S.

Today, many influential faculty players are talking about justness need for US-Iran relations honest. It’s hard to believe meander the Supreme Leader wants that under these circumstances but character pressure on him is escalating as the pressure on fulfil predecessor Ayatollah Khomeini forced him to drink the “poisoned chalice”.

Some in Iran argue that Tehran should take advantage of justness apparent tension between President Barack Obama and the Israeli Standardize Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and proceed towards Washington.

With Senator Ablutions Kerry, who will take finale the job of No.1 Fat diplomat held by Secretary be advisable for State Hillary Clinton in 2013, there will be interesting developments to watch. Many still recollect Senator Kerry’s participating in tidy 2007 Davos panel with verification President Mohammad Khatami.

Despite picture fact that the Senator has not authored any major sanctions legislation against Iran during climax chairmanship in the Foreign Communications Committee, he did vote crucial favor of all the sanctions bills. Will Tehran take afar of this opportunity or cool one`s heels for Senator Kerry’s move pump up unclear, but Washington has bent steadily pursuing a two-track plan of pressure and diplomacy.

What the Supreme Leader and interpretation Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) are going to do mid the upcoming Israeli elections crucial Iran’s presidential elections will have to one`s name a great impact on in any way Iran will be dealt with.